CLASSIFIED | POLITICS | TERRORISM | OPINION | VIEWS

ASIAN TRIBUNE WRITES DAM LIES ABOUT MUSLIM YOUTH IN THE EAST.

Noor Nizam. Sri Lanka Peace Activist, Communication Science and Multimedia University Teaching Personnel and Freelance Journalist. Canada.

LTTE is trying to negotiate with Muslim groups and coming forward to provide arms training to them in Verukal as well as in Yala jungles – is FALSE REPORTING.

The article published in the Asian Tribune electronic newspaper dated Monday the 23rd., 2008 under the news line – “LTTE to train Muslim youths in the East: Thamilenthi in Amparai for groundwork” is a dam lie.

As a Communication Studies and Multimedia educationist and teaching the science of Communication and multimedia in a leading University in Canada, I have written with authority, after doing much research the article under the heading:

“FALSE NEWS REPORTING IS A GRAVE CRIME. JOURNALISTS SHOULD RESPECT AND ABIDE BY THE CODE OF ETHICS AND JOURNALISTIC CODES LAID DOWN, LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY” – (published week of May 26, 2008).

This article has been repeatedly published in the local electronic media and in the international media due to the credibility of the contents and the need to call for “ethical and moral” discipline by editors and journalists, in order that “dam lies” are not written or published. Leading Sri Lankan Government Officials have also registered their displeasure about certain newspapers writing “FALSE” news items and publishing “DAM LIES” in news journals and the media.

The language of English is full of literature. But in journalism “clarity” is the prime essence when encoding a message, and writing an article is actually “encoding a message”. Understanding a message is “decoding” the message, be it verbal, electronic or written. Press articles and news items fall under the category of mass communication written messages and the contents are built on “metaphors”, but should be supported with facts and “NOT FALSEHOOD”.

Metaphors like “Asian Tribune learnt that….”, “Asian Tribune also learnt that a group of….”, “According to sources in the East, LTTE is trying to negotiate with Muslim groups and coming forward to provide arms training to them in Verukal as well as in Yala jungles”…, “Furthermore, Asian Tribune learns that Thamilenthi arrived in LTTE boat and landed in down south and entered Amparai”…., He is in Amparai to convince the militant Muslim youths and to entice them for arm trainings…., create wrong messages leading to serious repercussions by those concerned which can lead to a culture of opinion very detrimental to PEACE and HARMONY and the victimization of innocent youth.

The “metaphors” created by this article is a violation of the “Fundamental Rights” of a community who have been living for centuries in harmony with the Sinhalese in the South and the Tamils in the East. In it’s drunkardness of not been challenged by the concerned public/readers, and the false pretence as the suviours of the Tamil moderate representation of the Sri Lankan Tamil community, locally and aboard, the Asian Tribune and it’s editor has taken to themselves the business of false news reporting, to penalize the Tamil speaking Muslim youth of the East. This is shameful to world journalism and journalistic ethics.

Above all, the Asian Tribune has also published in there news article a statement – “Sources revealed that already more than one hundred Muslim youths have managed to trickle into Vanni from the East for arms training. East Muslim youths cross into LTTE controlled areas from the entry/ exit points in Mannar and not through Omanthai, to avoid creating suspicion”.

This is outrageous “DAM LIES” and “FALSE NEWS” reporting of the highest order of journalism and mass communication.

The Asian Tribune, with due respect should immediately “STOP” publishing “dam lies” or “false news” about the Muslim youth of the North, North Eastern and Eastern regions of Sri Lanka. The Asian Tribune is free to publish any news item or breaking news within Expression/Media Freedom “RIGHTS” within the set codes. The frame work of the International Code for journalists and the Freedom are given below for reference.

ETHIC CODES & JOURAISTIC CODES.

A. Code of Ethics for Sri Lankan Journalists – Adopted by the Sri Lankan Press Council 14t. Oct. 1981. Section 1. b. Refrain from reporting or causing to be print or published any matter which he knows or has reason to believe to be false or inaccurate. Section 7. A journalist shall not present any matter in a manner designed to promote sadism, violene or salacity. Refer: http://www.presswise.org.uk/display_page.php?id=260.

B. Code of Professional Practice (Code of Ethics) of The Editors Guild of Sri Lanka and Free Media Movement Adopted by the Sri Lanka Press Institute Accurate Reporting. 2.3 Editors and their staff, including external contributors, shall not publish material in such a way as to endorse any matter which they know or have reason to believe to be false or inaccurate.

C. Violation of International Journalistic code of ethics Society of Professional Journalists USA . Preamble Members of the Society of Professional Journalists USA believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty. Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist's credibility. Members of the Society share a dedication to ethical behavior and adopt this code to declare the Society's principles and standards of practice.

D. INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF JOURNALIST. IFJ Declaration of Principles on the Conduct of Journalists Brussels, BELGIUM – Sri Lanka member - Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association. "This international Declaration is proclaimed as a standard of professional conduct for journalists engaged in gathering, transmitting, disseminating and commenting on news and information in describing events.

1. Respect for truth and for the right of the public to truth is the first duty of the journalist.

2. In pursuance of this duty, the journalist shall at all times defend the principles of freedom in the honest collection and publication of news, and of the right of fair comment and criticism.

3. The journalist shall report only in accordance with facts of which he/she knows the origin. The journalist shall not suppress essential information or falsify documents.

4. The journalist shall use only fair methods to obtain news, photographs and documents. 5. The journalist shall do the utmost to rectify any published information which is found to be harmfully inaccurate.

6. The journalist shall observe professional secrecy regarding the source of information obtained in confidence.

7. The journalist shall be aware of the danger of discrimination being furthered by the media, and shall do the utmost to avoid facilitating such discrimination based on, among other things, race, sex, sexual orientation, language, religion, political or other opinions, and national or social origins.

8. The journalist shall regard as grave professional offences the following: * plagiarism; * malicious misrepresentation; * calumny, slander, libel, unfounded accusations; * acceptance of a bribe in any form in consideration of either publication or suppression. 9. Journalists worthy of the name shall deem it their duty to observe faithfully the principles stated above.

Within the general law of each country the journalist shall recognize in professional matters the jurisdiction of colleagues only, to the exclusion of every kind of interference by governments or others." (Adopted by 1954 World Congress of the IFJ. Amended by the 1986 World Congress.) [The International Federation of Journalists representing more than 450,000 journalists in over 100 countries, believes that professional journalists, organised in free and independent trade unions, play a key role in the creation and maintenance of a democratic media culture. International Federation of Journalists.]

Let it be known to Asian Tribune that The Muslim in Sri Lanka and especially in the North, North East and Eastern provinces will not fail to take action through “DUE PROCESS” - administrative or judicial process to put a stop to this type of news reporting by the Asian Tribune.

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